Niki and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We continued our tradition of spending the afternoon with USC students. It was truly a joy to welcome more than 300 students to our home, and to serve them a traditional Thanksgiving meal—for many of the international students we hosted, our gathering was their first introduction to this very special American holiday.

USC Dornsife marks a milestoneEarlier this month, friends and supporters of the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences came together for a special evening to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the naming gift from humanitarians David and Dana Dornsife. Their historic gift transformed USC’s academic landscape, and showed collaborative research can be a powerful catalyst for innovation that inspires social good. It also allowed us to attract a world-class faculty through endowments, and world-class students through scholarships.

The Dornsifes’ magnificent gift built on the family’s longstanding philanthropic legacy at USC. Dana and David both spoke of their affection for the university, and Dana described the special joy of supporting young scholars. “How fortunate are we—how fortunate are all of us—to be so engaged with our students,” she said, “to have positive influence on their extraordinary journey of discovery, and to inspire them to be bold and to be self-assured as they navigate the complex labyrinth of life.”

Jimmy Iovine on the “marriage of tech and the arts”The Wall Street Journal recently published an insightful interview with music industry icon Jimmy Iovine, in which he discussed the vision behind the USC Iovine Young Academy. The undergraduate academy, which he and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young helped envision and found with a $70 million gift, offers a unique curriculum that combines art, technology, and business, and will graduate its first class in 2018. Mr. Iovine said the academy answers a very real gap in today’s workforce. “We thought what was needed was an undergraduate program that prized arts and culture and also demanded a strong ability in math, science and technology—a program where both sides of the brain are nurtured equally,” he told the reporter. In developing his thinking, Mr. Iovine drew inspiration from his late friend, Apple founder Steve Jobs.

USC ranked number one for public relationsCollege Magazine, a publication written by students for students, recently tapped USC as the top school in the nation for public relations. “USC students are in a prime location to step into the Los Angeles public relations world,” the accompanying article noted. “With one of the smallest class sizes (16 students), students get more one on one attention and help from their professors so they can succeed in the industry after graduation.” Our students—whose work benefits from the cutting-edge Wallis Annenberg Hall—are required to take courses on the ethics of public relations, and to closely study various successful campaigns.

USC/Los Angeles Times pollWhile a number of polls have drawn criticism following this month’s presidential election, one is noted for forecasting the Trump campaign’s success: the USC/Los Angeles Times Daybreak Poll. Its methodology differed from other polls, which led one of its creators, Professor Arie Kapteyn, to suggest these surveys did not give enough weight to the possibility that people who did not vote in the previous presidential election would, in fact, cast ballots this year. “If you eliminate people who didn’t vote last time, you may have eliminated too many Trump supporters,” Professor Kapteyn said.

Innovation and educationThe Wall Street Journal recently published an op-ed I wrote on how institutions of higher education will drive the next industrial revolution. As I see it, universities must foster cross-disciplinary research and collaboration, as this will lead to enduring and meaningful innovation. As examples, I offered the pioneering research of Professor Mark Humayun, who has joint appointments in medicine and engineering, and Professor Peter Kuhn, who is a founding member of the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, and has appointments in medicine and engineering. Their highly imaginative work is truly reshaping the world.

On this important subject—the game-changing achievements of the USC community—I want to bring your attention to writer Rob Asghar’s USC:A Journey of Transformation – 2010-2015, which chronicles our university’s most impressive successes during those five years. This book is a magnificent testament to how far USC has come, thanks to the continued support of our Trojan Family.

Niki and I hope you are enjoying a very happy holiday season. With our warmest regards,

Yours truly,

C. L. Max Nikias
President

]]>Trojans, far from their families, spend Thanksgiving with the USC presidenthttp://www.president.usc.edu/trojans-far-from-their-families-spend-thanksgiving-with-the-usc-president/
Mon, 28 Nov 2016 19:21:01 +0000https://www.president.usc.edu/?p=6309For Budapest, Hungary-born USC sophomore Lilla Spanyi, Thanksgiving is so special precisely because it is an American holiday.

“My family doesn’t actually celebrate Thanksgiving, but I am in a weird position where I consider myself American because of the culture and the people, and I can’t really imagine a future for myself anywhere else,” said Spanyi, a Trustee Scholar and member of the Trojan Marching Band Silks. “That is why Thanksgiving has always been a holiday I wanted to celebrate, but]]>

For Budapest, Hungary-born USC sophomore Lilla Spanyi, Thanksgiving is so special precisely because it is an American holiday.

“My family doesn’t actually celebrate Thanksgiving, but I am in a weird position where I consider myself American because of the culture and the people, and I can’t really imagine a future for myself anywhere else,” said Spanyi, a Trustee Scholar and member of the Trojan Marching Band Silks. “That is why Thanksgiving has always been a holiday I wanted to celebrate, but didn’t have the opportunity until I came to USC.”

Spanyi was one of more than 300 USC students hosted for Thanksgiving dinner by USC President C. L. Max Nikias and his family. The annual dinner at the USC president’s home brings together Trojans unable to spend the holiday with their families.

Everyone at USC is still thrilled by the outstanding news we received earlier this semester: The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education released a comprehensive ranking of top colleges and universities in the United States, and USC ranked fifteenth on their national list of public and private universities. Among California universities, only USC, Stanford, and Caltech appear in the top 15; and among 150 colleges and universities in the western United States, USC ranks third. This marks USC’s highest placement ever among such rankings, and is noteworthy because the ranking’s methodology was particularly inclusive in scope. This is excellent recognition for our Trojan Family, and reflects the longstanding dedication of our alumni and friends all over the world.

Glorya Kaufman’s vision takes flightEarlier this month, the USC community came together to formally dedicate the majestic, new home for our Kaufman School of Dance. It was a glorious event, as our students were able to experience firsthand the remarkable passion of the school’s benefactor, USC Trustee Glorya Kaufman. “What’s tremendously important to me today is that this marvelous new center will welcome all forms of dance in a multicultural environment, where diverse young people will come together to boldly engage in innovative artistic expression,” said Mrs. Kaufman. She stands among the world’s most renowned arts philanthropists, and is a tremendous supporter of dance, education, and USC.

USC’s newest “genius”The MacArthur Foundation recently announced the recipients of its coveted “genius” grants, and this year’s list included our longtime faculty member Josh Kun of the USC Annenberg School. This honor speaks to Professor Kun’s exceptional standing among our nation’s most imaginative cultural historians, as well as his insightful work in connecting the arts and popular culture with cross-cultural exchange. Professor Kun described the recognition as emboldening: “It really makes you feel like, ‘Oh, okay, I can do this, and I can do more… I should keep pushing in deeper ways.’” He and his groundbreaking work are a tremendous inspiration to our students.

Foshay: USC’s top feeder schoolFoshay Learning Center—part of the USC Family of Schools—officially sends more students to our university than any other high school in the nation. “We are connecting with the surrounding community and building a pipeline to USC for students, especially those who are the first in their family to attend college,” Timothy Brunold, our dean of admissions, told the Los Angeles Times, which shared this news in a story that highlighted the success of our Neighborhood Academic Initiative. NAI’s director, Kim Thomas-Barrios, added: “This program changes the question from ‘Can I go to college?’ to ‘Which college am I going to go to?’”

Gender in media innovationProfessor Shrikanth Narayanan of our Viterbi School of Engineering is leading the development of the Geena Davis Inclusion Quotient software, a program that analyzes gender in entertainment, breaking down characters’ screen and speaking time for males versus females. “This is our very first (application) of our tool and its analysis,” Professor Narayanan explained. “Our bigger road map that we’ve been dreaming up is to look at different representations in media.” The Washington Post recently published a lengthy story on this pioneering innovation.

Biotech Park plannedAt the start of this month, USC hosted an outreach summit on careers in biotech to promote our plans for a Biotech Park near our Health Sciences Campus. The park will provide a means for biotechnology start-ups and established companies to maintain businesses in the east Los Angeles area, and create a wide range of jobs, from administrative and technical to scientific. Each year, universities in Los Angeles County produce more than 5,000 graduates in biotechnology-related fields, and—as this revolution in technology takes hold—we need to provide opportunities for these students to remain here.

Undergraduate minorsThis month, The Wall Street Journal published my op-ed on the importance of a minor course of study for undergraduates. In this piece, I discuss the numerous benefits to be gained from adding a minor, particularly one in a field that differs widely from the student’s major. A minor allows a student to develop a more diverse set of skills, and can even take her down an entirely different—and tremendously enriching—career path. This op-ed is the first in a series that I will be contributing to The Wall Street Journal.

Niki and I hope you’re enjoying the fall, as we all look ahead to the holiday season. With our best regards,

The downtown Los Angeles clinic was made possible by a $15.7 million grant from Cohen through his nonprofit Cohen Veterans Network. It offers free care to veterans and their families who are suffering from post-traumatic stress, mood disorders, substance abuse and other mental health issues.

The downtown Los Angeles clinic was made possible by a $15.7 million grant from Cohen through his nonprofit Cohen Veterans Network. It offers free care to veterans and their families who are suffering from post-traumatic stress, mood disorders, substance abuse and other mental health issues.

Marvin Southard, clinic CEO and professor of practice at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, said the clinic was going to do more than provide mental health therapy. Through a robust outreach staff, it hopes to connect veterans to other services and benefits they might need in the region.

]]>An elegant dance mecca opens at USChttp://www.president.usc.edu/an-elegant-dance-mecca-opens-at-usc/
Thu, 06 Oct 2016 05:00:22 +0000https://www.president.usc.edu/?p=6296The Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center, the largest dance-dedicated building on a private university campus, had its grand opening Oct. 5 in a stylish celebration of movement, scholarship and the arts.

At noon, several hundred people filled the courtyard of the handsome Italianate Collegiate Gothic building, a crowd that included more than two dozen USC trustees, many senior administrators and deans and USC Distinguished Professors who were introduced by Robert A. Cutietta, dean of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.

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The Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center, the largest dance-dedicated building on a private university campus, had its grand opening Oct. 5 in a stylish celebration of movement, scholarship and the arts.

At noon, several hundred people filled the courtyard of the handsome Italianate Collegiate Gothic building, a crowd that included more than two dozen USC trustees, many senior administrators and deans and USC Distinguished Professors who were introduced by Robert A. Cutietta, dean of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.

Also in attendance: friends of the school, faculty members and enthusiastic USC Kaufman students who later gave building tours and worked on choreography in the new studios.

Dance patron Glorya Kaufman, the school’s principal benefactor, was praised by USC President C. L. Max Nikias, who said she stands among the world’s most visionary philanthropists. “But in the world of dance, she is without peer,” he said.

At USC, our academic year is off to an extraordinary start, as our School of Social Work recently celebrated a transformational gift, bringing together more than 1,600 Trojans and supporters outside the school. Mrs. Suzanne Dworak-Peck—a visionary pioneer in the field of social work and a two-time USC alumna—has given $60 million to our university, and her gift will endow and name the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Her magnificent generosity cements the school’s standing among the discipline’s most innovative institutions, and will significantly advance its profoundly important work in our communities. Mrs. Dworak-Peck’s gift is the largest ever in the field of social work.

The USC community is indeed proud to share a permanent connection with Mrs. Dworak-Peck. She stands as a fearless, compassionate, and widely respected leader in the field of social work. In both the public and private sectors, she has long embraced a life of profound purpose. Over a distinguished career that exceeds four decades, she has helped countless individuals, while her thoughtfully considered influence has touched communities throughout the world. With her historic gift to USC, she will better the lives of generations of human beings.

Fertitta Hall opens for business studentsEarlier this month, the USC community came together to formally dedicate Jill and Frank Fertitta Hall, a new home for the undergraduates at our Marshall School of Business. This five-story building includes lecture halls, space for student advising, undergraduate admission offices, and break-out study rooms. Most classrooms include a very modern—and distinctly southern Californian—feature: skateboard racks. Construction on this building—with its collegiate gothic edifice, graceful windows, and distinctive spire—began just two year ago, bolstered by a landmark gift from the Fertitta family. Frank Fertitta, who serves as a USC trustee, is chairman and chief executive officer of Red Rock Resorts; Jill is a passionate supporter of education, both in Las Vegas, where the Fertittas live, and in Los Angeles.

Currie Hall welcomes studentsIn late August, the USC community cut the ribbon on the Malcolm and Barbara Currie Residence Hall on our Health Sciences Campus. This new residential complex sits at one end of what we envision as southern California’s biomedical research corridor, and provides much-needed housing for our medical students, who will now be significantly closer to their patients, as well as their peers.

The naming of this residence hall honors the longstanding generosity of our trustee, Malcolm Currie, and his wife Barbara, whose most recent gift of $10 million to USC was directed to the endowment of the Keck School of Medicine and the construction of the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience. Dr. Currie previously chaired our board of trustees, and helped lead our university through a period of dynamic growth. Outside USC, his own professional career has been exceptionally illustrious: he helped turn Hughes Aircraft into a world leader in defense electronics, and as a scientist and engineer, he played a key role in the development of satellite communications, lasers in aerospace systems, and night-vision devices. He and Barbara have been tremendous supporters of USC, and wonderful friends to Niki and me.

First-generation students at USCAs our fall semester began, the Los Angeles Times published a wonderful story on USC students who are the first in their family to attend college, with a focus on our freshman class. First-generation students make up about 20 percent of the USC undergraduate student body. “For every student who really wants a USC experience, we’re going to work to find a way for them to have that experience,” Provost Michael Quick told the reporter. The piece highlighted Provost Quick’s personal experience as a first-generation college student, an experience that has shaped his leadership in higher education.

Niki joins me in sending you our warmest regards. We hope you’re enjoying the autumn, and look forward to writing again next month.

Yours truly,

C. L. Max Nikias
President

]]>USC President Nikias honored by Federation of Cypriot American Organizationshttp://www.president.usc.edu/usc-president-nikias-honored-by-federation-of-cypriot-american-organizations/
Sun, 25 Sep 2016 17:19:49 +0000https://www.president.usc.edu/?p=6250USC President C. L. Max Nikias was the honoree at the 2016 Testimonial Dinner hosted by the Federation of Cypriot American Organization (FCAO) in New York on Friday.

Nikias was recognized for outstanding academic achievements and leadership and was presented a replica of the Kyrenia ship by Republic of Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and FCAO President Kyriakos Papastylianou. A merchant ship that sailed the Mediterranean in the fourth century B.C., the Kyrenia ship is a symbol of national pride for Cyprus.

“Throughout]]>

USC President C. L. Max Nikias was the honoree at the 2016 Testimonial Dinner hosted by the Federation of Cypriot American Organization (FCAO) in New York on Friday.

Nikias was recognized for outstanding academic achievements and leadership and was presented a replica of the Kyrenia ship by Republic of Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and FCAO President Kyriakos Papastylianou. A merchant ship that sailed the Mediterranean in the fourth century B.C., the Kyrenia ship is a symbol of national pride for Cyprus.

“Throughout my upbringing in Famagusta, my parents placed a high value on education, allowing me to immerse myself in the sciences as well as in Greco-Roman classics, theater and history,” Nikias said.

Earlier this month, Niki and I were thrilled to welcome students back to our campuses, and to start our seventh year as president and first lady of USC. We always look forward to greeting parents and students on Move-In Day, while basking in their wonderful optimism, anticipation, and joy. At New Student Convocation, we celebrated an exceptionally impressive group of students! Twenty percent of our incoming students earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in high school, and the great majority had standardized test scores above the 95th percentile. One in 8 freshmen are the first in their families to attend college. Indeed, they worked hard to earn one of the 2,700 spots in the incoming class, as more than 54,000 students had applied, making this year’s admission rate—at less than 17 percent—the lowest in USC’s history.

While these extraordinary students began their classes, we were all cheering our 44 Trojan athletes at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. USC sent the most athletes of any university in the United States! These remarkable Trojans included track athletes Nia Ali, Andre De Grasse, and Dalilah Muhammad, volleyball players April Ross and Murphy Troy, as well as some of the biggest stars of the Games: Allyson Felix, who is now the most decorated American female track athlete—and an alumna of our Rossier School of Education—and Katinka Hosszú, who earned four swimming medals in Rio, and who earned her bachelor’s from USC Dornsife four years ago. All of our 44 athletes showed their USC spirit in Rio, and made us extremely proud to be Trojans!

Warrior-Scholars programIn July, USC once again hosted the Warrior-Scholar Project, a weeklong “boot camp” that helps newly enrolled military veterans acclimate to an academic environment. The Los Angeles Times published a wonderful story on USC’s program, and noted the university’s strong commitment to first-generation and community college transfer students. Vice Provost Mark Todd, who oversees our veterans programs, said: “By the time they’re done here, they’ve succeeded in something that they previously thought they wouldn’t be able to succeed at.” USC plans to continue hosting the program.

USC Viterbi facultyTwo faculty members of our Viterbi School of Engineering—each focusing on very different, exceptionally dynamic work—received high-profile attention recently. The Washington Post highlighted research by Professor Theodore Berger, who is developing a neuroprosthetic to help Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, stroke, and other patients with brain disorders and injuries. Professor Berger is working with Kernel, a start-up, to refine a cognitive enhancement device to replicate communication signals that have been lost or damaged in the brain. This innovation offers tremendous hope to so many individuals around the world, and significantly reimagines treatment for those facing cognitive challenges.

Meanwhile, earlier this summer, The New York Times published an excellent piece on the 3D printing techniques developed by Professor Behrokh Khoshnevis. Remarkably, his techniques can be used in construction! Professor Khoshnevis has developed a system known as “contour crafting,” which uses robots to “print” buildings with locally gathered materials. This technique allows its users to construct inexpensive, simple homes—an invaluable innovation where there are acute housing needs in our society. “Somehow, we have to address the issue of shelter, which is at the base of the pyramid of needs,” Professor Khoshnevis told the reporter. His system also may be used in space.

USC’s Pulitzer Prize winnerAdditionally this past summer, TheNew York Times published an in-depth profile of Professor Viet Thanh Nguyen of the USC Dornsife College. Professor Nguyen won this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his debut novel The Sympathizer, which continues to draw tremendous praise, as readers all over the world discover his deft prose and subtle humor. We are so proud that USC has been Professor Nguyen’s academic home for his entire career. During his two decades at our university, he has received numerous teaching awards, and his students love him!

Niki and I hope you had a relaxing, productive summer. We look forward to the year ahead, and to sending you news on USC’s successes each month. With our warmest regards,

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Fri, 19 Aug 2016 22:31:06 +0000https://www.president.usc.edu/?p=6218Forget cardinal or gold, at least this one time. Orange was the color of the day on the USC University Park Campus, with those familiar orange bins meaning one thing: Move-in Day. Thousands of new and returning students converged on Trojan territory Wednesday, getting settled before fall semester classes begin Monday. Take a look at some of the sights of the day.

View the slideshow here.

]]>Forget cardinal or gold, at least this one time. Orange was the color of the day on the USC University Park Campus, with those familiar orange bins meaning one thing: Move-in Day. Thousands of new and returning students converged on Trojan territory Wednesday, getting settled before fall semester classes begin Monday. Take a look at some of the sights of the day.